Sikh Coalition Army Essay Featured in Washington Post Blog
On December 6, 2011, the Washington Post’s On Faith blog published a Sikh Coalition essay about the need for equal opportunity in the U.S. Armed Forces. Responding to the Army’s recent decision to accept an observant Jewish chaplain, the essay highlighted the distinguished service of Sikh soldiers throughout history; described the bureaucratic hurdles that Sikhs must endure in order to serve in the U.S. Army; and urged the U.S. Armed Forces to “modernize its regulations without delay so that operational excellence becomes the principal criterion by which soldiers are judged.” Click here to read the entire essay.
(Video) Behind-the-Scenes at the Sikh Coalition
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The Sikh Coalition encourages you to watch a new short film entitled Article of Faith featuring its former community organizer Sonny Singh. Produced by Christina Antonakos-Wallace, this 10-minute documentary gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary anti-bullying work done by Sonny. Article of Faith was also featured in the Media That Matters Film Festival.
Sikh American Soldier Receives Bronze Star Medal
The U.S. Army's first turbaned Sikh soldier in over 30 years returned home from Afghanistan and received a Bronze Star Medal for his service. Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi received the Bronze Star Medal for "exceptionally meritorious service as an emergency medicine physician" while deployed in Afghanistan. In support of the award, an official recommendation cited Major Kalsi’s resuscitation back to life of two patients who were clinically dead on arrival; his "expert" emergency care of over 750 soldiers and civilians; coordination of 5 mass casualty exercises; and his general "commitment and leadership above and beyond that of his general duties."
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Sikh Coalition Leads National Alliance Demanding TSA Audit
A diverse coalition of 38 civil rights organizations led by the Sikh Coalition is demanding an independent audit of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to determine whether the agency engages in racial profiling. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, the groups expressed concern about recent news reports that TSA officers openly targeted Mexican and Dominican travelers for extra scrutiny at airports in Hawaii and New Jersey. TSA officers at the Honolulu International Airport targeted Mexicans so often that their colleagues called them the “Mexicutioners.” The letter also notes that Sikh travelers are routinely selected for secondary screening at some American airports, even after clearing advanced imaging technology machines without a incident.
